News

News on the Church in the world. Reporting on everything from theology to technology. A mix of magazine articles, web reporting and email newsflashes.

Letter #3, 2026, Monday, January 12: Zen and Ashenden

    Dear Friends,     For more than two decades, I’ve been sending The Moynihan Letters without charge, and I intend to keep them freely available. As the new year begins, I am faced once again with the annual costs of producing and sending the letters to all my readers — about $5,000 in total. If you enjoy [...]

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Letter #2, 2026, Monday, January 12: Pope Leo’s schedule

    Pope Leo, 70, will celebrate three major public liturgies in the next few weeks, leading up to Lent. Below, the list...     Note:     If you would like to subscribe to this letter, or add a friend as a subscriber, you may do so here.     If you would like to make a donation to the work of [...]

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Letter #1, 2026, Thursday, January 8: Cardinals meet

    Pope Leo, 70, reads a text to open the Extraordinary Consistory of cardinals that began in Rome yesterday and concludes today. The Pope, eight months after his election on May 8, 2025, has asked the cardinals to advise him on how to face some of the pressing issues facing the Church and society.     Note: If [...]

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Letter #102, 2025, Wednesday, December 31: Last Day of 2025

    It is the last day of 2025.     My colleague, Anna Artymiak, a Polish journalist who has covered the Vatican for many years, writes:     "It has been a cold and sunny day in Rome. Since Monday, the Eternal City is blocked by the last-hour pilgrims, coming to the Holy Door of St. Peter's before the Holy [...]

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Letter #101, 2025, Thursday, December 23: Christmas

    The Nativity (1308) by Duccio di Buoninsegna (1299-1319) (link)     Icon by Andrei Rublev (c. 1360-1430, link), Nativity of the Lord (link). The tiny baby Jesus is in the center, his face shining with light ("an incandescent point (of light) in the deep darkness of the fallen world," being Himself what Tolkien called that "Imperishable Flame," by which [...]

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Letter #100, 2025, Fri, Dec 5: Leo on AI

    Pope Leo XIV met today with the participants in the Conference "Artificial Intelligence and Care of Our Common Home" (@VATICAN MEDIA).     He delivered an address to the conference which outlines his deep concern over the possible negative consequences, or even evil misuse, of artificial intelligence (AI) (full text below)     “Artificial intelligence has certainly opened up new [...]

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Letter #99, 2025, Tues, Dec 2: Giving Tuesday 2

        Letter #99, 2025, Tuesday, December 2: Giving Tuesday 2          Dear friend,     Thank You for Supporting Us on Giving Tuesday – It’s Not Too Late to Give!     A heartfelt thank you to all who have already contributed to our Giving Tuesday campaign!     Your generous gifts, kind words, and ongoing support are what make it possible [...]

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Letter #98, 2025, Tue, Dec 2: Press Conference

   Pope Leo's 3-day visit to Lebanon included a 5-minute prayer at the tomb of St. Charbel (below)     Letter #98, 2025, Tuesday, December 2: Airplane Press Conference     As Pope Leo Flew Back to Rome Today Following His 1st Papal Trip to Turkey and Lebanon, He Held a Press Conference     Pope Leo revealed today something about his personal [...]

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Letter #97, 2025, Tues, Dec 2: Giving Tuesday

    “The glory of God is man alive, but the life of man is the vision of God.” —St Irenaeus of Lyons, c. 180 A.D.     Letter #97, 2025, Tuesday, December 2: Giving Tuesday     Dear friend,     Greetings!     For more than 32 years, we have been publishing Inside the Vatican magazine. The "Zero Issue" was in April 1993, although [...]

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Letter #96, 2025, Tue, Dec 2: Day #6

    Pope Leo, reading his final farewell message to the Lebanese people as he left Lebanon today, following a 3-day visit which included a 5-minute prayer at the tomb of St. Charbel (below)     The Pope visited the De La Croix hospital on his last morning in Lebanon. He made his remarks to the staff and patients [...]

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